SPOTLIGHT: CVS Health “Abilities in Abundance”

Banner displaying CVS Health Excellence in Disability Inclusion.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and when it comes to diversity and disability inclusion-based hiring, CVS Health is charting a path worth following. CVS is an industry leader in helping people with disabilities overcome barriers to employment, demonstrating the tremendous, untapped potential in this workforce. With proper training and workplace support, workers with disabilities have proven time …

Evidence Base for Cognitopia

Light bulb with a person showing evidence based below.

The evidence base for the effectiveness of the Cognitopia Platform for Self-Determination is multi-faceted. Cognitopia was developed through highly competitive federal research grants from several agencies, including the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation (NIDILRR), Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). This funding has ensured that the …

Vincent’s Story: MyLife Supports Transition Process During Pandemic

Profile of example users stregnths in the MyLife tool.

My son Vincent is a happy, curious 17-year-old, who was born with Down syndrome. In addition to several chronic health issues, he also has a diagnosis of autism and cortical visual impairment.  For the last five years, he has been in a private ABA program focusing on his functional, adaptive, and social skills. Two years ago, our family began seeking …

Dreams Without Limits: A Photo-Essay Book About Hope, Dreams, and Life Goals

In a striking collection of photo-essays, the authors of the recently published Dreams Without Limits give readers unique insight into the hopes, dreams, and achievements of people who experience different disabilities. Written by Laura Dahill, director of marketing and communications for The Arc Lane County and photographed by Jon Christopher Meyers, award-winning photographer and adjunct faculty member at Lane Community College, the …

Cognitopia Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Kyle a Cognitpia user catering an event.

During October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Cognitopia will be sharing on social media a series of employment-related routines that were creating using the Routines tool that is available on the Cognitopia Platform for Self-Determination, a suite of web-based applications to support self-management at work, at home, and in school.  Routines is a tool for task-analyzing any activity using text, …

Project Inclusion: Help Improve Courses in Special Education at the University of Oregon

Too often, the lived experience of disability is not at the forefront of undergraduate learning, but a new effort is underway at the University of Oregon with support from The Tom and Carol Williams Fund for Undergraduate Education. The project is seeking the participation of community members such as individuals experiencing disability, educators, personal support workers, and advocates. Julie HenningJulie …

Cognitopia Featured in Major College Special Education Textbook

Book of "Teaching students with moderate and severe disabilities".

Released earlier this year, the Second Edition of “Teaching Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities,” by Diane M. Browder, Fred Spooner, Ginevra R. Courtade, and Contributors is a commonly used textbook in special education teacher preparation  programs around the world. Julie HenningJulie Henning has been with Cognitopia since 2015. In that time, she has been involved in customer support, training, …

Diabetes Self-Management App Project: For People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) who have Type 2 Diabetes

Banner for Oregon office of disability and health.

Type 2 diabetes has been, and continues to be, a national epidemic. According to the 2020 Diabetes Statistics Report from the CDC, approximately 34.3 million people (or 10.5% of the US population) have diabetes. (This has increased from 2007’s statistics of 23.6 million people or 7.8% of the U.S. population). People with disabilities are three times more likely to develop diabetes. Looking closer to home, …